PRESS RELEASE – Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (+961- 4) 410001, 410003
Fax: (+961- 4) 419724
E- mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

His Holiness Aram I receives the newly elected Bureau of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Tashnak Party)

Antelias – 14 February 2015. On Saturday morning, the newly elected
Bureau of the Tashnak Party, led by representative Hrant Markarian met
with Catholicos Aram I in his office in Antelias.

The members of the Bureau discussed with His Holiness the activities to
be held in Armenia and the Diaspora to commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and the reception by Armenians and the
international community of the Centennial Pan-Armenian Declaration.

`Armenian parents should transform the family into a `little
Church,’ a blessed structure of our community,’
Stated His Holiness Aram I on the eve of the feast of the Presentation
of Jesus in the Temple (Dyarentarch)

Antelias – Friday 13 February 2014. On Thursday evening, a large
number of parents and their children gathered at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral to attend the evening service prior to the Feast
of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. His Holiness Aram I presided
over the ceremony and preached.

After recounting the story of Jesus’ parents taking the 40-day-old
baby to the Temple, according to the Jewish tradition, His Holiness
spoke of the two symbols of the feast, light and presentation of Jesus
to the temple. Jesus brought light to the world through his birth to
save the people who were involved in evil deeds and living in darkness.
He prayed that the faithful would take the light from the altar of the
Cathedral to their homes and fill their lives with Jesus. Referring to
the ritual of the presentation of Jesus to the Temple, he told the
parents that by bringing their children to the church, they were
offering them to God, promising that they would grow in the church with
its spiritual and religious values. The Catholicos then talked about the
family as the `little church’ and the role it plays in bringing up
their children as Christians according to the teachings of the Armenian
Church.

At the end of the service, the clergy, the seminarians and the
congregation gathered around the traditional bonfire to celebrate the
ancient church tradition of Dyarentarach with poetry and songs.

`The ideals of Vartanantz heroes continue to inspire our courageous
people in Karabagh,’
Said His Holiness Aram I

Antelias – On 12 February 2015, at the Feast of the Vartanantz Heroes,
the dean of the seminary, Rev. Torkom Donoyan, celebrated the Holy
Liturgy, presided over by His Holiness Aram I. In his sermon, Rev.
Torkom spoke of the urgency of national unity and the importance of
Christian faith in shaping the struggle of Armenians for justice.

After the Holy Liturgy, the clergy and faithful went to the Main Hall of
the Catholicosate. Catholicos Aram I gave his message, followed by a
cultural celebration with spiritual hymns and poetry prepared by the
seminarians.

In his message, the Catholicos quoted the commanding general of the
Vatananz battle, Vartan Mamigonian, who said, `we cannot remain
indifferent to external pressures that force us to give up our
independence and freedom.’ The Catholicos continued and said that this
same spirit that guides the people of Karabagh in their struggle today.
After greeting the people of Karabagh for their commitment, he blessed
the faithful; the celebration ended with the singing of the `Cilicia’
anthem.

The Central Committee of the Catholicosate of Cilicia concludes its
deliberations and adopts a programme for the commemoration of the 100th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Antelias – 9 February 2015. Under the leadership of His Holiness Aram
I, after three days of meetings, the Central Committee representing the
dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, its Executive Committee, the
Council of Religion and the plenary of the Prelates adopted the document
whereby:
1. They welcome the activities planned by the Catholicosate of
Cilicia on national and international levels for the commemoration of
the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as well as those
activities planned by the dioceses. They strongly support the proposal
to pursue the political and legal aspects of recognition and restitution
related to the Genocide and commend the Pan-Armenian Declaration
recently adopted in Erevan.

2. They are aware of the profound meaning of the decision of the two
Catholicoi to make the martyrs of the 1915 Genocide into saints on 23
April 2015, during a special ceremony in Holy Etchmiadzin.

3. They are grateful for His Holiness Aram I’s ecumenical
commitment despite the dwindling interest of many churches in ecumenism.
They also support Catholicos Aram I’s commitment to Christian-Muslim
dialogue to help Christians and Muslims live together and condemn
fundamentalism.

4. They will organize a pilgrimage from their respective dioceses to
Lebanon for the blessing of the Holy Muron at the St. Mary’s Monastery
in Bikfaya in July and the commemorative activities at the Bird’s Nest
and Antelias.

5. They share His Holiness Aram I’s vision of the Seminary as an
important pillar of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in preparing the clergy
and sustaining the spiritual and moral values of the church. They
promise to support the seminary financially and morally.

6. They acknowledge the role of the Christian Education Department
in enabling the women and the youth to learn the basic teachings of the
church and her diakonia. They also urge the department to use modern
educational approaches and technology to improve its teaching methods.

7. They concur with His Holiness to include youth in the structures
of the diocesan committees and other organizations of the community.

8. They express their gratitude to the constructions and renovations
committee for preparing the locations for the commemorative events.

9. They thank the Board of the Khatcher Kaloustian Foundation for
its effort in promoting the Western Armenian language and introducing
new pedagogical approaches.

10. They recognize the financial dependency of the Catholicosate on the
dioceses and benefactors and appreciate deeply His Holiness Aram I’s
achievements despite the limited funds.

11. They share the pain of the Armenian community in Syria, and promise
to accompany them during these difficult times and help them later to
rebuild their lives. They consider the presence of Armenians in the
Middle East extremely important for the whole nation and call upon all
Armenian organizations to demonstrate their solidarity with Armenians in
Syria.

12. They are indebted to His Holiness Aram I for his initiative in
preparing a litigation against the Turkish authorities demanding the
return of the historical centre of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Sis,
in cooperation with international human rights lawyers. They also thank
all those who have helped His Holiness realize this project.

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Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org